


Storm Clouds and Silver Lining

by thatmitchsentho



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 21:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8816173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmitchsentho/pseuds/thatmitchsentho
Summary: Beca comes looking for Chloe after coming out to her dad turns into an absolute disaster. Chloe isn't home, but Aubrey is, and Beca finds that even the darkest storm clouds have a silver lining.





	

Aubrey heard the knock at the door and considered ignoring it. The weather was horrible, absolutely pelting with rain and freezing. She'd just made some popcorn, she was in her sweats and she was home alone. Chloe had gone home for the long weekend, as it was her mom's birthday. But curiosity won out and she opened the door to see a distraught Beca on the other side.

"Hey," she managed with a sniffle. "Chloe home?" She was shaking, the chill obviously down to her bones.

"No," Aubrey said, stunned by Beca's appearance. She'd clearly been out in the rain for a long period of time. Her eyes and nose were red from crying, her eye makeup had run down her cheeks. "She's gone to Florida for the weekend." Beca just let out a noise that half sounded like a sob, half like a laugh.

"Great," she said. "Thanks." She turned to walk away.

"Beca, wait," Aubrey said. "Come in. I know we're not close or anything, but clearly something is up. And you're soaked. Come in. You can take a shower, I'll grab some of Chloe's clothes for you." Beca looked at her for a long moment, but eventually came inside. Aubrey went into her best friend's room and grabbed some warm clothes for her, and then a towel, and left her to shower. When she reappeared, she looked markedly better but still miserable.

"Coffee?" Aubrey offered. Beca nodded, dwarfed in Chloe's oversized sweater.

"Thanks," she said softly. Aubrey detoured past the bathroom to put Beca's wet clothes in the dryer, then made two cups of coffee and brought them out to where Beca was nervously perched on the couch.

"Relax," Aubrey said. "I'm not going to interrogate you. You can talk if you want, and if you don't, that's fine. I've got enough popcorn for an entire movie theatre, and I was about to watch Bridesmaids for the fiftieth time. Stay. You don't have to be alone, especially out there when the weather is this bad." Beca relaxed. Aubrey moved the popcorn bowl to sit between them on the couch and pressed play on the movie. They were about forty minutes in before Beca spoke.

"I had a fight with my dad," she said softly. Aubrey turned the movie down a little.

"I'm guessing it was a big one," Aubrey said. "I don't think I've ever seen you even be close to crying before."

"It was," she confirmed. "One of those potentially relationship ending arguments."

"He's your dad," Aubrey said. "I'm sure he still loves you."

"Well, I just got a two hour lecture on how much he doesn't love me," Beca said. "Aubrey, I told my dad I was gay this afternoon. And he and Sheila pulled the bible out and walked me through all the reasons I'm going to hell." Aubrey paused for a moment. There was a lot she didn't know about Beca, she realized. They'd become a wary sort of friends after winning the title last year, and were friendly with one another since she was always dropping around to see Chloe, but their friendship was very much surface level. She knew the brunette's mother had passed away and that was why she'd been uprooted from Seattle to Atlanta, but this revelation was news to her.

"I didn't know you were gay," she said.

"Chloe knew," Beca said. "I've been trying to tell my dad for months. She said if it got bad, I could just come here. She said it'd be my safe place."

"Oh," Aubrey said. "Well, she's right. This can still be your safe place even if she isn't here. Does anyone else know?"

"Stacie and Jessica," Beca said. "I got caught staring at someone. And now you."

"Well, I won't be telling anyone," Aubrey said. "And despite what your dad says, there's nothing wrong with being gay."

"I know that," Beca said. "But after he was done telling me how I was only his daughter in name only, I realized that I have nobody left. No family, anyway. He was it. He wanted to try and make it work for mom's sake, and it lasted not even a year, because I want to date pretty girls instead of good Christian boys."

"Yeah, well, good Christian boys aren't all they're cracked up to be," Aubrey said. "Trust me on that. I'd take a pretty girl every day of the week." Beca shot a look at her.

"Seriously?" she said.

"I'm also gay," Aubrey said. "And these delightful Christian men your dad likes to tell you about are probably the same ones my dad used to tell me about. They generally want oral sex on the first date, because that way they get off and get to keep their virginity."

"Does your dad know you're gay?" Beca sighed.

"He does," Aubrey said. "I think it took him three years to get used to the idea. He wasn't ever super homophobic - he just struggled with reconciling the idea of it with his faith. Eventually he decided God was love, and God was kind of anti-disowning people and that was enough for him."

"My dad said the most horrible things to me," Beca said, shaking her head. She was beginning to tear up again. "I can barely believe some of the words he used. I mean, I get it. I'm not exactly top shelf when it comes to kids, but I'm still his daughter aren't I?"

"What do you mean, you're not top shelf?" Aubrey asked. "What kind of bullshit is that?"

"This is just another in a long list of ways I've disappointed my dad," Beca said. "He disapproves of the tattoos. The piercings, the way I dress, the eyeliner, the fact that I want to be a musician… now he can add the fact that I'm a dyke to the list. It's just never ending with him, like my sheer existence is a disappointment to him."

"Fuck your dad," Aubrey said firmly. Beca was surprised, she'd never heard Aubrey speak about anyone like that. "No, seriously, fuck him. He's clearly a narrow minded, bigoted, messed up piece of shit and you don't deserve to have a father who makes you feel anything less than amazing. Your dad is supposed to be your biggest supporter, your protector. So fuck him, Beca. He loses, because you're going to be successful and you're going to be happy, and you're going to do it without him. He's the disappointment here, not you." Beca let her head fall to the back of the couch and she closed her eyes.

"Days like this," she said, close to full blown tears again, "I really miss my mom. I miss Seattle, I miss my old life." Aubrey moved the popcorn bowl and took a massive risk. She opened her arms and pulled Beca into them. Beca didn't fight it, she just cried against Aubrey's shoulder for as long as it took for her to feel okay again. Aubrey didn't speak, she didn't make a sound, just kept her arms wrapped around her and one hand slowly rubbing her back. It was comforting and it felt safe.

"Sorry," Beca said hoarsely. "It's just been a shit of a day."

"Don't apologize," Aubrey said. "You did something huge today and it blew up in your face. If it were me I'd be three quarters of the way through a tub of ice cream and bottle of vodka simultaneously."

"I don't like drinking," Beca said. "I'd eat the shit out of some ice cream though."

"I have some in the freezer," Aubrey said. She went and got the tub, and a couple of spoons.

"It just sucks," Beca said, digging a spoonful out. "He dragged me here to go to college under the pretense of getting to know each other. And it's been hard for me, because he's been gone so long, you know? It's been hard for me to open up at allx. So I bit the bullet and told him something that was very important, and makes up a huge part of what I am. And he calls me a disgrace, an abomination, a pervert… and they're the diplomatic things he said."

"Honestly, Beca," Aubrey said. "There isn't anything I'm going to be able to say that's going to stop the fact that your dad saying those things hurts. But I can tell you that family is more than who you're related to."

"It's not the same," Beca said.

"It's better," Aubrey said. "Because these people - like Chloe, like Stacie and Jess - they haven't gone anywhere. The Bellas aren't going anywhere. We love you for you. We accept you for you. And every single one of the Bellas is going to support you through this, the same as we did with Chloe's nodes."

"Thanks Aubrey," Beca said. She did feel a bit better.

"Do you want to stay the night?" Aubrey asked. "I'm sure Chloe won't mind, you've shared the bed with her enough times."

"That'd be great," Beca said. "If it's not any trouble."

"Of course not," Aubrey said. "I'd hate to send you out in this storm. Plus, clearly this is the kind of day where you shouldn't be alone." The movie was done by the time they finished talking and eating the ice-cream, so Aubrey left Beca in Chloe's room, telling her there were extra blankets in the hall closet if she got cold.

The next morning, Beca appeared looking like sleep had eluded her most of the night. Aubrey simply made her a cup of coffee and set it in front of her at the dining room table.

"Thanks," she said, rubbing her eyes. "How's the weather today?"

"Still looks crappy, but it's not actually raining," Aubrey said. "You look like hell, no offense."

"I didn't sleep much," Beca confirmed. "At first it was just hearing dad's voice over and over."

"At first?" Aubrey said, sitting down opposite her.

"Then I kind of figured you're right," Beca said. "Fuck him. Because it took a lot for me to even tell him that. I can't help that he's a dick. And I feel better just having that weight off my chest."

"It's definitely liberating," Aubrey said. Beca drummed her fingers on the table.

"Can I ask you something personal?" she said.

"Sure," Aubrey said.

"Why doesn't anybody know that you're gay? You talk about it like you're not struggling with it, your family isn't struggling with it, so why haven't you said anything?" Beca asked. Aubrey raised her eyebrows mid-sip of her coffee.

"That wasn't intentional," she said. "I just don't really announce it. I figured at some point I might start dating someone and it'd be pretty clear once everyone saw that person was a girl."

"So only Chloe knows?" Beca asked.

"Chloe knows," Aubrey said. "Cynthia Rose knows, and Stacie knows. CR just said I pinged on her gaydar and she asked me up front. Stacie…"

"Stacie?" Beca said leadingly.

"I made out with Stacie on hood night last year," Aubrey admitted. Beca laughed, but not in a cruel manner.

"Wow," she said. "Stacie is surprisingly good at keeping a secret, I had no idea."

"I know, right?" Aubrey said with a chuckle of her own. "It was never a thing, it was never intended to be a thing and it never will be. We were drunk, she's very attractive and her boobs were right in my face." They both laughed.

"I've decided to tell the other girls," Beca said. "You're right. They're family. And I know that they're gonna have my back the way my dad should have."

"They will," Aubrey said. "And so will Chloe and I."

"I really appreciate that, Aubrey," Beca said. "And everything you did last night."

"It's my pleasure," Aubrey said.

"Can I treat you to breakfast?" Beca asked. "As a thank you?"

"Of course you can," Aubrey said. "Your clothes are in the dryer, if you want to change. I'll just take a quick shower it that's okay."

Half an hour later they'd ordered coffee before they perused the menu more carefully. After they ordered their meals, Aubrey asked a question.

"So, who did the girls catch you staring at? Someone you like?" she asked.

"Yeah," Beca said slowly. "And before you tell me to just go for it, I've kind of got a few things I need to sort out first."

"Like what?"

"Well if dad is as done with me as he says," Beca said, "I need to seriously think about how I'm going to afford college. I mean, he didn't say he was cutting me off, but I need to be ready for that if it happens. So that might mean that I don't have time for a girlfriend, for a little while. The radio station doesn't pay too badly now that I'm running it, but I won't be able to afford a place to live on my own, and I doubt my dad-funded dorm room will still be an option."

"Well, CR and Ashley both have jobs, maybe you guys could pool and split a place?" Aubrey asked.

"See what I mean?" Beca said. "I'm probably not going to be able to captain Bellas all by myself and I was thinking about getting CR to help me. There's just a lot I need to get done, and as much as I like this girl, it's not the right time."

"Who is she?" Aubrey asked.

"Just a girl," Beca said with a blush. Their food arrived and they were distracted by their need to eat momentarily. But Aubrey brought it right back up after they were done.

"Is it Chloe?" she asked.

"No," Beca said. "Not Chloe." She tucked some bills under the plate and they got up to walk back to the apartment.

"Oh god, it's not Stacie, is it?" Aubrey guessed.

"No," Beca laughed. "You were right about her being attractive but I wouldn't be able to keep up with her, not a chance. Can we not talk about this? Let's talk about your love life."

"No," Aubrey said. "There isn't one. Come on, tell me. Does Chloe know who it is?"

"No," Beca said.

"Oh! You said Stace and Jessica know! I'll text them," Aubrey warned. Beca just sighed and pushed Aubrey up against the wall of the building they were walking past and kissed her hard. After the initial shock, Aubrey's hands settled on her hips as she continued the kiss.

"Okay," Beca said. "So there's that. But like I said, I've got a lot of shit I have to work through. If I want to date you, Aubrey, I want to do it properly." Aubrey nodded.

"I -uh…" she shook her head, still dazed by the kiss. "Whenever you're ready, Beca. Seriously."

"Seriously?" Beca said.

"Yeah," Aubrey said. "I'll make some calls. My cousin has a friend who is a real estate agent down here."

"Sorry for kissing you and then telling you I can't be in a relationship right now," Beca said, a little embarrassed. "That seems kind of assy. And unfair. To both of us."

"Do you want to hang out until Chloe comes home?" Aubrey asked. "We don't have to do anything. Just you know, not being alone is pretty great." Beca smiled at her.

"That'd be great," she said. "Can we swing past campus so I can grab some clothes and stuff?" Aubrey said it wasn't a problem, so they headed to her dorm. On the way there, Aubrey saw Beca had a wide smile on her face.

"What's that about?" she asked.

"If I wanted to kiss you right now," Beca said, "there'd be nothing my dad could do to stop me. I just realized that. I won't have to be watching my back everywhere I go. I don't have to be worried."

"That's pretty great," Aubrey said. "I'm happy for you." Beca unlocked her door and ushered Aubrey in ahead of her.

"Maybe my dad being a dick is actually going to turn out to be a good thing," Beca said. "Huh. Silver linings and all that. I mean, he's disowning me, but I kissed you and I don't have to watch my back on campus any more."

"Silver lining for sure," Aubrey replied. "For both of us." She waited as Beca stuffed some things into a bag and deemed herself ready to go.

"I want to ask you something," Beca said. "Feel free to say no, especially on the back of what I just told you about not being in the right space for a relationship right this minute."

"What is it?" Aubrey asked, holding the dorm building door open.

"And it's also going to make me sound like I'm twelve," Beca said. "But I think it would be really nice… dammit, Beca, get your shit together."

"Spit it out," Aubrey said.

"Can I hold your hand?" Beca asked. "It sounds dumb, but just for a second it'd be nice to pretend that we're normal girls and my life isn't a massive shit show, and we're just like any other couple." Aubrey just slid her hand into Beca's and let their fingers entwine. Beca felt Aubrey's thumb brushing back and forth on her skin. Silvery storm clouds were hanging low overhead, but Beca felt unabashed happiness as she walked through campus hand in hand with the blonde, even as heavy drops began to fall. She squared her shoulders and kept walking with her head tall and hand in Aubrey's.


End file.
